Land of the Gods Lexana
by Firefly01
Summary: While excavating a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Lex has a vision of the original owners, Pharaoh Amenmesse and his Great Royal Queen Takhat.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE:** Land of the Gods  
**RATING:** R  
**SPOILERS:** to Crusade  
**STATUS:** Complete  
**SUMMARY: **While excavating a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Lex has a vision of the original owners, Pharaoh Amenmesse and his Great Royal Queen Takhat. Series.  
**PAIRINGS:** Lex & Lana of course!

**Foreword:**

This story has been inspired by real life events, people and places. It's set in Ancient Egypt, and revolves around the lives Ramesses II, Queen Takhat, Seti II and Amenmesse, roughly 1200 BC. Why I chose these people and this place, if not obvious in the story, is explained in my end notes, along with apologies to any strict history buffs. Had this been written as a novel, better care would have been taken to ensure proper details etc. but as it is, this is only a piece of fanfiction written for a challenge.

Though this story is about real people, it is still a work of fiction. Relationships, dates, ages and other details have been bent to fit my vision. Again, all explanations as to the hows, whys and "what the hell?" are explained in my end notes as well as links to my sources for further reading.

* * *

**Chapter One The Valley of the Kings- Luxor, Egypt: Fall 2004**

The blinding sun poured its heat down on the desert, unrelenting and heavy. There was no real wind today, though every now and then a stray breeze would kick up a cloud of yellow dust and spray it into the eyes, mouth and nose of the unsuspecting. For those who would cry out in alarm at the offense, the surrounding sands would crinkle and seem to mock the fool who didn't realize; this is the Land of the Gods.

Heat waves, like shimmers of silk in the distance, rose up from the sand that surrounded the valley. For the sick or stranded, they promised false hope, sending many on a wild goose chase that only ended in death. Tricksters you'd think, but maybe it was magic- ancient, old-world magic that continues to spellbind and paralyze those who are not mindful of the danger around them.

For Lex Luthor, being on this sacred ground, felt very much like returning to the site of former glory. True, it was only his namesake that conquered Egypt, but setting his foot where Alexander once stood sent a shiver of power up his spine. _Welcome brother_… the land seemed to say.

He stood outside of tomb KV10, and hoped he'd found the right place. It was not the tomb of an important Pharaoh. Amenmesse did not even have an impressively decorated tomb. Looted in ancient times, there was nothing much left other than a few canopic fragments and a badly preserved human skull. Hardly even worth the cost of excavations.

Still, Lex was attracted to this site. In his quest to find one of the stones of knowledge, he'd been led to this region through a legend in an ancient scroll, one rumored to have survived the library of Alexandria. Pointing the way to Egypt was a lot like pointing to the ocean and asking someone to find a one-of-a-kind fish, but Lex always enjoyed a challenge.

The passage in the scroll spoke of two brothers, Anpu and Bata, at war with each other, both seeking their father's great crown, and the love of one woman, Taket. She was said to contain a great power, one that would have granted her chosen husband all of the riches of the known world. When she married Anpu, his brother vowed vengeance. To end their dispute, Egypt was divided into Upper and Lower, with each brother given rule over one part. Anpu was a good man, wise and a just ruler, while Bata was cruel and selfish. Out of jealousy, Bata raped Taket, and forced her to become his great royal queen. She delivered him a son, and they lived happily until Anpu murdered his brother and hid his mortal remains so that Taket could not resurrect him. In her grief, she became a wraith who wandered the land of shadows, searching for her lost love. She took her treasure into death, and it was never seen again. The last line of the passage read, "Taket waits."

Lex sent teams to Cairo in order to research everything he could find about the elusive Taket. Though the exact spelling was not found, a "Takhat" came up in several places. Interestingly, her name was mentioned as not only a daughter of Ramesses II, but also as queen to two brothers, the warring Seti II and Amenmesse. Not much is understood about their reigns, which were documented in several places with conflicting dates. They seemed to rule right on top of one another, usurping each other continuously. And then there was Takhat, apparently queen to first Seti, and then to his brother Amenmesse, to whom she bore five daughters and one son, Siptah. KV10 was their tomb. Though it had been vandalized many times since antiquity, no great treasure had even been discovered. He could only hope that perhaps it still remained.

Finally entering, Lex took too deep a breath and coughed, instantly regretting that he did not heed the warnings of his guide. Paki was a charming, stocky fellow with a white curling mustache and perpetual frown. The only thing that made the man crack a smile was money, a condition, which Lex understood and was happy to indulge.

Paki had warned that the acrid air deep in the tombs could be hazardous to those with immunity problems, something that Lex was forced to deal with since the poisoning he endured three months prior. The poetry of almost being murdered by your own father, an aging king threatened by the rise of his first-born son, could only be eclipsed if the tables were turned. Lex quite looked forward to that day.

He coughed again and cleared his throat.

"Mr. Luthor?" Paki questioned, his face full of concern.

"It's nothing. What have you found?"

Paki half turned and began leading the way through a maze of tunnels. Most of the debris had been cleared in prior excavations, but once they passed the four-pillared hall, the tunnels were narrow and unorganized. If one were to follow a direct path, they would reach the burial chamber, but the party of diggers paid to search the tomb had stopped half way there and now pointed to the East-facing wall.

Several ruined scenes were depicted, their color faded and images scratched over in a deliberate effort to vandalize the drawings. Perhaps destroyed by Seti II out of jealousy? There wasn't much to see, and with his chest burning, Lex inhaled in order to shout at Paki when a familiar drawing leapt out at him. A glyph very similar to those found in the Kawatche caves of Smallville was printed on the hand of a woman. She offered a gift to Isis with her head bowed.

"Here," Lex said, his heart pounding. "Tear down this wall."

"You'll be arrested!" Paki cried.

"Another hundred thousand on top of your fee," Lex promised. "No one can know I was even here."

Sweating, Paki agreed and informed the workers of the task. Horror shined in their eyes, and several fled with superstitious fears. Lex watched as they ran shouting from the tomb. He turned curious eyes back to Paki, who looked very nervous himself.

"They fear the curse," he explained. "Desecrating a tomb, especially the image of one of the old Gods… death comes to those who would do such a thing. It is madness."

"Just get the job done." Such nonsense irritated Lex, and he gave the group a stern look before turning away from them and stepping towards the old burial chamber. Their murmurs faded away into the background. Three mummies had once been unearthed here: all women who'd been tentatively identified as daughters of Amenmesse. For whatever reason, it seemed that both Amenmesse and Takhat had either not been buried in their own tomb, or were removed by someone. That idea bothered Lex. That a king's legacy could be so uprooted after his death.

One of the many reasons he vowed never to die.

The burial chamber was empty now save for a raised dais near the back of the room where two stone thrones stood, and an altar several feet in front of them. The altar had once been where the king's sarcophagus would have lain, and the thrones prepared for Isis and Osiris to guard over him.

A single torch flickered it's low light, and Lex felt the effects of the heat and bad air catch up to him. His vision begun to blur, and breathing was difficult. The ever-present tremors, which had coursed through his body since the poisoning, increased visibly and made it difficult to stand still.

He flipped his wrist over and looked at the special watch designed for him, revealing not only his heart rate and pulse, but also the number of hours since his last dialysis session. Lex grimaced to see that the number had already reached 61. No doubt his personal physician on board the Luthorcorp jet will do some serious nagging by the time he finally returns. 72 hours, she said often. That's the limit. Anything over and his internal organs would begin shutting down. He wondered if that were true, and part of him even wanted to test it out. See how invincible his body really was.

But at the moment, Lex did not feel particularly invulnerable. He leaned against the stone altar to steady himself, and briefly shut his eyes. When his legs wobbled, Lex's body gave a quick jerk and his eyes snapped open. Realizing he had just drifted off standing up, he decided to go ahead and sit down on the altar, considering it was the only semi-clean area in the room. Sure, the Egyptian government would be pissed, but hell, he _was_ looting this tomb after all. What did rules really matter?

Oddly, his aching body relaxed into the hard surface. Pulling his legs up, Lex laid back resting his head on his arms and looked through bleary eyes at the ceiling. So much had been destroyed by both man-made and nature born instruments. Where the paintings weren't scratched over, rain and subsequent flooding had marred their images. What story would they have told had they been allowed to remain?

From what was left, it was clear at least to know that the tomb had first been prepared for Amenmesse and his favorite wife, Takhat. Not a single relief of her face could be found anywhere in KV10, for all had been scratched over.

Not surprisingly, the idea of two brothers fighting over a woman and power appealed to Lex, and he couldn't help but apply the situation to himself. Lana had been used up and cast away from Clark too many times, and Lex felt as though the time neared when he could gently sway her into his good keeping. He would not make the same mistakes Clark had made, by allowing her to leave him. If given the smallest opportunity, Lex would find a way to bind her to him forever.

Knowing that the workers were busy, and not likely to bother him unless they found something, Lex allowed himself to finally rest. He closed his eyes and listened to the workers with their pick axes and shovels, the metal on metal clinking echoing through the tomb. The air quality would be better in the tent erected for him outside of the valley, but it was cooler in here, and besides Lex wanted to be closer to the dig site. He did not let the idea of sleeping in a burial chamber bother him. Was too tired for that anyway.

He thought of Lana in her Parisian art school, and wondered how long he should wait to make his desires known to her. A week? A month? Six? As long as she was away from Clark Kent, that was all that truly mattered. Just a little longer, and she would become his sole pursuit. Soon after, he was sure, she would succumb.

Lex drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two Waset, Egypt: 1213 BC**

Takhat was beautiful in a way that often stunned people into silence. Her almond shaped eyes and long, dark hair would have been fine attributes for any woman to possess. But she also had smooth, caramel colored skin and a slender, supple body that seemed molded by the Gods themselves. It was easy to see that she was the child of Pharaoh. A living God himself, Ramesses II had been proud of this creature he'd created. She was only a child of 13 when he finally journeyed into the afterlife.

The people mourned for the days of Ramesses, the long and fruitful reign of her father. Oh how she missed him! Her mother had been part of his main harem, which lived in a complex close to his royal residence. He had many children, mostly products from this and other harems throughout the kingdom. It was not easy to gain audience with her father, but the few times that she'd seen him, he always had a ready smile for her and a gentle pat on the head.

Since Ramesses lived to be nearly 100 years old, many of his original heirs had already died. His 13th son, Seti became pharaoh after his death, and Takhat became the youngest of his four wives. They had not known each other well previously, but he was a kind man, and she'd felt fortunate to be placed in such an important position.

Unrest broke out across the land when the new pharaoh took power. After so many years of peace from the firm hand of Ramesses, the people grew nervous from the sudden change and began to revolt. Little skirmishes broke out easily, and it was feared that the Hittites would attempt to invade again.

Even the harem's residence hadn't been spared from the chaos erupting around them. As wives of the king, Takhat and the others held quarters away from the rest and were envied for their power. But struggle continued on among the queens as well. Tausret was the favorite of Seti, and held enormous power over him, making the rest little more than elevated concubines. Outwardly, Takhat was submissive and kind to the favorite, but inside she seethed and desired absolute power for herself.

Tausret delivered a son to Seti three years after his reign began, cementing her status forever. It seemed nothing could take Seti's eyes away from her, though Takhat certainly tried. As the youngest, she had a certain charm that the others did not, and when the king came to her bed, she tried her best to please him. His visits were rare though, due to Tausret's demands, and Takhat's eye began to wander.

It was five years after Seti became pharaoh that his half-brother Amenmesse came to stay in Waset. The two brothers had once been very close, growing up together in Khent-min. Following the death of their father, and the ascension of Seti as pharaoh, Amenmesse fled to Nubia in anger over not becoming pharaoh himself.

Seti lamented the loss of his favorite brother, and in an effort to restore peace between them, offered Amenmesse a position in the king's council. At a banquet given in his honor, Takhat finally laid eyes on this elusive person of whom so many people whispered about in private.

As soon as she'd entered the dining hall with the other wives, she felt his eyes on her. Without looking, she felt his gaze follow her all the way to the assigned cushion near to the king. Amenmesse sat directly opposite her, and she wondered how she'd ever be able to breathe again.

Takhat kept her eyes downcast and demure as she'd been taught, and spoke twice during the entire evening, each time only after she'd been spoken to first. As fourth wife, she could not take the liberties that Tausret did, who held her head high and directed questions openly to the king and to his guests alike.

Where normally this would greatly upset her, Takhat could only feel a deep fluttering in her belly as Amenmesse continued to watch her. She sipped her wine and picked at her food daintily and tried unsuccessfully to control the blush, which stained her cheeks under his scrutiny.

As conversation and laughter raged around them, Takhat dared to briefly glance at the man in front of her, thinking he would be too busily engaged in the party. She was startled to look up and meet the intensity of his eyes, and simply could not look away. For several moments they were frozen, air thick and electric around them. Without moving, Takhat felt as though her entire body reached out to him, his reaching back in turn.

The clatter of a fallen goblet finally allowed Takhat to tear her eyes away, and she stared down at her plate, trying to focus on her breathing. Feeling like a fool, she suddenly wondered how many wives Amenmesse had, and whether or not any were present now and had seen her so openly and intimately behold him. She also wondered foolishly if her own husband or his other wives had noticed her actions. What would happen to her if they had? Nothing? Everything? She never wanted more for the Goddess Mut to swoop in and take her away.

After the banquet ended, Takhat retired to her room and allowed a servant to brush out her long, dark hair. She closed her eyes and dreamed about Amenmesse. He caused an excitement in her that she'd never felt before. It took a moment for Takhat to notice that her servant had stopped attending to her, and when she opened her eyes to see what the problem was, she gasped to see Seti before her.

He said not a word, but held his hand out, helping her to stand. She was almost disappointed when he began removing her costume, but kept her feelings buried deep inside. Seti had always been a considerate and careful lover. His touches were gentle and soft like a kitten, his movements precise and strong. She wrapped her long legs around his torso.

While her husband thrust himself within her, she thought of Amenmesse and responded more passionately than ever before. Her pace quickened, and an encouraged Seti matched it, surprised to see her so eager. Afterwards, their bodies slick with sweat and trembling, Seti sat up in the bed away from her and exhaled.

"What troubles you?" Takhat asked, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Without turning, Seti rose and began to dress. Finished, he finally looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes kind but tired. "He will only cause you pain," he said, and Takhat felt her heart literally stop. He had noticed!

She stuttered, trying to find the words to express her sorrow, but Seti left her there and never returned.

In the days and weeks that followed, tensions mounted between Takhat and the other queens, who obviously knew something was wrong. While two probably could only guess, Tausret likely knew the whole story, and Takhat avoided her as much as possible.

The one person she could not seem to avoid though was Amenmesse. He seemed to be everywhere, always with those intense eyes looking in her direction. Knowing that her husband could easily have people watching her, Takhat tried to distract herself in various projects and past times. She spent a great deal of time in the temples of Karnak, a religious complex built in part by her father, Ramesses. She would pass the many sphinxes that lined the road on the way there and begged from them an answer to her problem. As each fell behind her carriage, they seemed to hiss back at her to remain with her husband. _Silly girl._

On one late afternoon, Takhat ended up staying at the temple too late, her escorts all busy discussing philosophy and studies with the many priests. Dusk fell, and the troupe decided it would be best to stay overnight, rather than risk traveling in the dark during these hard times. Takhat agreed, and sent a message to Tausret informing her of the situation. Likely the woman would mock Takhat's tardiness at court, but that was to be expected really.

They settled in at Isheru, a temple dedicated to the goddess Mut, one of the principal Gods worshipped in Waset. Mut was the Queen of Goddesses, mother of the Moon-God Khonsu. Takhat bathed and brushed out her hair, retiring in a white sleeping gown. With guards at her door, she blew out her lamp and climbed into bed.

From her position, she could see the moon's reflection in the lake outside of her window; calm, black water, speckled by thousands of white dots from the sky. Their mysteries enchanted her, and she stared into the lake for what seemed like hours, finally becoming drowsy when the moon was straight up in the sky.

Just as her eyelids began flickering closed, a bright flash caught her attention. Its reflection in the inky lake seemed to grow larger as if something were approaching. Takhat jumped out of bed and ran to her window, convinced that Khonsu must be descending from the sky.

What she saw instead reminded her more of winged Mut, a human-like creature flying from the heavens and descending onto the temple devoted to Menthu, God of war. Was this really one of the old Gods coming to visit their sacred memorials? Her curiosity got the better of her, and Takhat put a long wrapper around her shoulders, sandals on her feet and climbed out of her window.

The evening was colder than she'd anticipated, and Takhat soon felt foolish for venturing out so unprotected from the elements and possible harm. She was a Queen (a lesser queen, but at least it was a step up from the commons), and had no business being out alone at night. She shivered and ran through the empty and silent streets to Menthu's temple.

Takhat climbed the steps carefully, her breath hitching and side hurting from the sprint. She tried to be as quiet as possible, so as not to frighten (or be struck down by!) the God whose tiny movements echoed through the empty halls. Hiding behind a large column, she was stunned to see a man reaching through the far wall, an area dedicated to Ma'at, the Egyptian concept of truth and justice.

His back was to her, so she couldn't see his face, but she could feel from him a sense of power and calm authority. When the God removed his hand from the wall and stepped away, Takhat could see that he had placed an object within a secret chamber in the wall. The hole dissolved into a smooth uninterrupted surface, and the God stepped back and disappeared, leaving only a gust of wind and trail of red in his wake.

She ran over to the space left behind and touched it, amazed to find it hard and ordinary. How had he opened it? A painted image of The Eye of Horus protected the area. It seemed to stare into Takhat's very soul, and she knew that she was unworthy of this gift. Here she was, a woman who betrayed her husband with her thoughts, standing before Horus and Ma'at in judgment of it.

But what if she could redeem herself by presenting this gift of the Gods to Seti? As Pharaoh, was he not the incarnation of Horus? It rightfully belonged to him. And besides, if Takhat gave such a gift to Seti, would he not reward her? Certainly Tausret could never come up with a gesture so grand.

Or maybe… Just Maybe…

Perhaps she should see what the gift actually was first, before she started making plans to give it away. A sly grin spread across her face.

"Not exactly a place one would expect to find a Queen at this hour," a low voice said from behind her.

Takhat whirled around and felt her stomach jump up into her throat. Amenmesse leaned against a pillar with his arms folded across his chest, amusement written on his features.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, trying to make her voice sound authoritative.

He smiled and stepped forward slowly, ignoring her question. Takhat stood frozen in place and watched him come closer. Her heart pounded and questions swirled in her mind. Had he followed her? He must have. Had he seen the God place the gift into the Eye of Horus? She didn't know.

Amenmesse paused directly in front of her, and looked down into her wide eyes. He was not as tall or broad as Seti, but still stood a full head taller than she. His manly smell wafted up to her nose, and she breathed him into her deeply. He was simply intoxicating, and she felt dizzy and drunk from the attention. Rarely was she ever singled out by anyone, and never sought after. Her mouth watered.

He didn't touch, only gave the barest hint of a smile before moving around her to inspect the exotic colors and textures of the painted reliefs on the back wall. When he moved to the Eye of Horus at its center, she felt the cold sting of jealousy.

_Mine._

"Are you in need of council?" he asked, without turning.

"What?" she stammered. _What was he saying?_

Amenmesse turned back to her and indicated the room they were in.

Right. Ma'at.

"If I did, I would appeal to a priestess, not a vizier."

He arched a brow. "Is that why you've come to pray to the God of War?"

"My business is mine alone," she said haughtily. It seemed that he had not seen the God after all. Retrieving the gift would have to wait. "Good night." Takhat turned and began walking back through the hall, but Amenmesse was not finished with her yet.

"Are you expecting a war, my Queen?"

His possessiveness made her shiver, but she continued walking with him right behind her.

"Why would I expect a war?"

"My brother might have cause to start one."

"And for what reason would he do that?"

Amenmesse took hold of her arm and pulled her around to him suddenly. The surprise stole her breath away.

"Don't pretend that you don't feel what is between us." His deep, velvet-like voice echoed in her head. She couldn't deny her feelings, but his presumptiveness irritated her.

"I would never be the cause for a war that could divide our country."

"You already are."

"That's not true."

"Seti knows that I desire you. He could tell the instant that I set eyes on you."

Takhat scoffed and looked away, but Amenmesse grabbed her chin and turned her face back to his. "And he could see it in you too."

She knew that was true. Had been confirmed by Seti himself that very night. She felt traitorous and evil suddenly for not stamping down on those feelings before they'd had the opportunity to take root.

Takhat jerked away from him and slapped his hands away. "If there is war, it will be because you want to be Pharaoh, not because of me."

He nodded. "I want both."

"Seti is my husband."

"Seti has other wives."

The wound cut deep. She stammered again, searching for the words to dissuade him. "You… There are other women you could take."

"Indeed. I could have a harem twice the size of Ramesses." The invocation of her father's name angered her.

"You are a war monger! How dare you compare yourself to Ramesses!"

"But I don't want a harem," he continued, ignoring her outburst. "I only want you."

"You can't…"

"First wife."

"... have me."

"Great Royal Queen of Amenmesse."

Her eyes widened, and throat went dry. _Great Royal Queen._

"I will carve it into monuments. Paint your image in the temples with Mut, Amun and Khonsu. After you've left this world, the people of Egypt will pray to you, and remember your name. Sons of Takhat will be Pharaoh."

She swayed a little, feeling dizzy again. This was all happening so fast. But then, when dealing with such matters, one was not often granted the luxury of time to make decisions. She felt confused, and weak suddenly, her knees ready to give out. Unable to hold them back, tears glistened in her eyes. A combination of sadness, regret, sacrifice and terrible, unrelenting desire coursed through her.

She wanted this. Didn't have to say it.

"I can't leave Seti," she whispered as he approached her again, his eyes full of power and lust. His arms wound their way around her body and pulled her snuggly against his. Heat burned through her thin gown and wrapper as her eyes closed from the euphoria of his touch. She felt his breath against her lips.

"You don't have to."

Takhat melted into his kiss, and allowed him to take her away to Yebu, a fort located on the border of Upper Egypt and Nubia. Never in her young life had she felt so alive! When her Amenmesse pressed her into bed, she cast thoughts of Seti out of her mind. Whatever the consequences would be of this action, for right now Takhat knew happiness.

Morning broke, and alarms rang out across Karnak when it was discovered that Queen Takhat was missing. Every temple was searched and riders sent word to Waset about her disappearance. By noon that day, the palace conceded that the queen had been raped and kidnapped by the king's newly appointed war vizier, Amenmesse.

Takhat was able to spend precious few hours of glorious pleasure with her new husband before he sent her to stay in Nubia while he warred with Seti. Amenmesse declared himself Pharaoh, ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt and brought with him support for his crown. Removing the weakened Seti had been easier than he thought due to the distressed populace who still had yet to recover from the death of Ramesses.

It was two weeks since she'd left Seti that Takhat knew she was pregnant. The child moved within her already, and could not belong to Amenmesse. Still, she protected her baby, remembering his words about her son becoming Pharaoh, and kept silent about his true paternity.

She gave birth to a son in Nubia, still not having seen her husband. When finally he sent for her, she traveled with the baby to a much-changed Waset. Gone were the monuments of Seti, his name erased from the great obelisks that towered above. The name Amenmesse was everywhere.

When she stepped into the Great Hall of the palace she remembered so well, the bundle held securely against her chest, she felt no small amount of trepidation. Would Amenmesse accept this child? Would he keep his promise?

He sat upon his throne looking satisfied, and maybe even a little smug. He had usurped the crown of Egypt, and now perhaps he'd solidified his reign by producing an heir.

"Amenmesse," she said, bowing as she neared the dais of his throne. She turned her face back to his, and was relieved to see that he looked pleased. "I have given you a son." She stood, and pulled the blanket away from the baby's face so that he could see him.

Amenmesse stood up and moved down to her, taking the baby from her arms and dropping a kiss to her lips. His proud eyes took in the round, chubby cheeks and soft curling hair of the infant. "My son. Siptah."

The child gave a strong, fierce cry in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three Waset, Egypt: 1203 BC**

Over the next ten years, Takhat gave birth to five daughters. She was mildly disappointed that they were not fine sons, as was Amenmesse, but there was still Siptah, growing up tall and strong like his father. Takhat never mentioned his true father to anyone, and even began to forget about that fact. It was as if Siptah had always been destined to be the son of Amenmesse.

He worked hard at his studies and played with the children at court. He brandished a wooden staff and wore a paper crown made for him by one of his nursemaids. He fought hard, but almost always lost his little battles.

Amenmesse would see that the boy received more practice, but Takhat knew that all the practice in the world would never solve Siptah's problem. His spirit was weak because half of his soul was hidden in shadow. The part belonging to Seti demanded justice that Takhat would never give.

* * *

Takhat surveyed the banquet hall and the crowd filling it and smiled. The king would be displeased to see that not everyone invited had arrived, but it was still a successful event, and for that she was satisfied. The ball was yet another excuse to prove to the world that Amenmesse was the one and only Pharaoh, ruler of both Upper and Lower Egypt.

It was something that he had to continually work on. After removing Seti, Amenmesse had allowed him to live. Why, Takhat didn't know, but she was grateful, as were the people they governed. Surprisingly, they missed Seti. Or perhaps, they disapproved of a usurper taking over the kingdom. As such, Seti held court at Ineb-Hedj and acted as Pharaoh of Lower Egypt. It was a thorn in her husband's side to be sure.

Whichever, Takhat had few complaints. Amenmesse had done as he promised. There were monuments bearing her name, and his tomb had been started bearing her image. They would be interred together, along with any of their daughters who remained unmarried. Siptah of course, would have his own tomb in the valley.

As Great Royal Wife and Queen Consort of Egypt, Takhat finally held considerable power. She was Daughter of Ra, Lady of Ta-merit, Takhat of Mut. As before, she spent a great deal of time at Karnak, much as she did before, but with a different purpose. She guarded the secret of the hidden jewel within the Eye of Horus well, and even increased security in the Temple of Menthu to protect it. Her explanation was of course that the temple of the God of War needed extra protection from Seti and any other claimants to the throne that her husband occupied. As always, her wish was granted.

But Amenmesse began to grow suspicious. He'd joked of course, that her visiting so often was out of nostalgia for their first meeting. She went along with that, laughing playfully and leaving him with a quick kiss before her eyes betrayed her secret. It wasn't long before Takhat noticed that she was being followed everywhere. They kept to the shadows, but were always present, reporting each day's whereabouts back to Amenmesse. She was careful not to spend too much time at the great wall of Ma'at, but it was so difficult to stay away, for she felt its power calling out to her from within its tiny prison.

The courtyard situated inside of the temple of Menthu was a lush green oasis filled with palm trees and small pools of sweet smelling lotus blossoms and exotic fish. Pathways were lined with ornate, carved bricks quarried from Abu, each depicting scenes dedicated to the falcon-headed God of War. The garden was surprisingly peaceful, and unusually empty for an afternoon, one week prior to the ball.

Takhat had been strolling absently in a vain attempt to clear her thoughts when a priest stepped up behind her. She turned when he did not identify himself and gasped to see a familiar face.

"Neferhotep!" The building foreman of Seti smiled briefly, and glanced around to be sure they were not being watched. Knowing that they probably were, Takhat erased the surprise from her face, and tried to appear as if he were a regular priest. She walked with him into the main temple chamber where he placed an offering to a statue of Menthu at the center.

"My Queen, forgive me for coming to you unannounced, but these have been difficult times." He kept his head bowed as if in prayer.

"You should not have come."

"It was thought that I would be less noticeable here at Karnak than someone from the council, since my projects have largely been elsewhere during this reign."

"He should know better than to even attempt to contact me. What purpose does this serve?"

"The King asks for your help when he returns to power."

"That is not possible. My son Siptah will be Pharaoh. What would become of him if Seti were to reclaim his title as King?"

"He has sworn to allow Siptah to live as his successor, for his own son has died and he has no others."

"And me? What of my fate?"

"You would still be Queen."

"A fourth wife."

The old man braved a quick glance up at her face, but had no words of comfort for her. It would be a complete reversal of the years, and everything would be back the way it had been. How could she do that? Return to being nothing but a fourth wife after having been Great Royal Queen? Impossible.

"Seti does not hold enough power to become Pharaoh again."

"If Amenmesse does not want a war, he will allow the transfer."

"How do you know I won't just tell Amenmesse about this plot? You are informing me of treason!"

Neferhotep bowed deeply at the statue of Menthu, placing both open palms on the ground. "The King says that you held certain…_affection_ for him. And that you would not want him to be harmed."

Takhat's stomach tightened and she knew that he was right. "I can make no promises. At all times Pharaoh's guards watch me. You must leave now, hurry!"

Neferhotep deepened his bow and then rose up, taking his leave. She did not watch him go, but heard his footsteps echo through the chamber. Her heart pounded, and throat went as dry. She felt like a traitor just speaking of such things, and there was only one punishment for that.

The week passed slowly as Takhat waited for Amenmesse to accuse her of treason. He did not, and instead was kind to her, arranging for a great dance to be held in celebration to her and Mut, who had become her patron Goddess. When the people arrived, the prepared feast was served and seemingly endless wine flowed. This luxuriousness was deceptive though, since the stress of supporting two pharaohs and their households nearly bankrupted the treasury. But it was still important to make a good impression. When it came time for the dance to start, everyone was pleasantly intoxicated, though not excessively so, and in good spirits.

The music began, and seven young women came out to the center of the ballroom, their eyes expressively painted and hair expertly pleated. Six wore sheer white shifts, belted in gold rings and deep blue sapphires. The same jewelry repeated itself at their ears and wrists, the blue and yellow catching light and sparkling as they made turns with their arms stretched out around them. The one they continuously circled was the Goddess Mut. Her priestesses twirled and moved around her so fluidly that they appeared to be part of one being; like water in the ocean.

The girl depicting Mut had long, flowing black hair, decorated in white features. She had large white wings on her back and wore a gown of deep blue, trimmed in gold with sapphires from Nubia and bright green emeralds. It was quite something to see!

Takhat smiled at her husband who was seated beside her. He did not meet her gaze at first, and didn't appear to be watching the dance in front of them. Lost in thought, he finally turned his face in her direction and gave a tight-lipped smile. A jolt of panic hit her stomach and she began to wonder what was on his mind.

"Are you pleased with the dancers?" she asked sweetly. Several members of council turned to look in his direction at the question.

"Very beautiful," he answered with a nod. They smiled and agreed, turning back to the spectacle.

His eyes stayed hard though, and timidly she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze that he did not return. Something was brewing in that head of his. She would have to tread carefully.

* * *

Takhat stood on the water platform as female servants poured jars of warm, scented water over her head. She sighed as the long day was finally washed away, and stepped off to allow a maiden to wrap linens around her body to dry. While another combed out her hair, Takhat leaned back in her chair to allow her feet and hands to be infused with scented oil.

During the hot summer months, Takhat usually slept nude, as did her husband with only a light linen sheet to cover them. On this night though, she felt it would be best to stay at least semi-dressed since there was no telling what Amenmesse's mood would be like. She put on a sheer golden wrapper, and belted it loosely at the waist. Dismissing her servants for the night, Takhat leaned against the many pillows of the giant bed they shared and waited for him to arrive.

When he did finally appear, he walked in and began removing his jewelry and headdress, readying himself for bed. This encouraged Takhat, that perhaps he had only state business heavy on his mind. He sat on the edge of the bed to remove his sandals.

Feeling brave, she slid over behind him and placed her hands at his tense shoulders, letting them snake over to his chest.

"Msy?" she queried at his ear, testing the waters.

He sat there silently, as if deliberating what to say. She thought it would be better if he said nothing at all, and dipped her hands down further to unwrap the shift at his waist, the last clothing he wore. She teased the skin just below his navel with her fingernails and waited for a response. Outwardly, he almost seemed uninterested, but his rapidly hardening anatomy betrayed that idea completely.

When she wrapped her fingers loosely around him, he exhaled deeply, allowing her to caress him for a moment before accepting her eager kiss. If she thought he would be dominated on this night though, she was very much mistaken. He turned around, and placed a knee between her legs, spreading them open and pushing her back on the bed. Mild alarm combined with a thrilling influx of excitement poured through her as he crawled up her body.

Even in the low light of the lamps, she could see the fierce look in his eyes. A mixture of anger, power, and above it all, desire. They stayed locked onto hers as he pulled her nightdress up above her hips, and maneuvered himself between her thighs. It was then, staring into his black eyes, that she knew without a doubt that he did know Seti had contacted her. He _knew_ that Seti would take her back.

Like his patron deity Set, the envious brother of Osiris, Amenmesse meant to end his rival once and for all. End these unhappy questions.

This was jealousy, pure and undiluted. Even now, she knew that he wondered if she'd considered it, even for a moment. Wondered if she missed Seti. Wondered if she'd still take him inside of her after all of these years.

And she had…wondered. A little.

How could she not? Seti was a good man, powerful and just. He ruled with a gentle hand, and had always been kind to Takhat. She'd first been delivered to his bed as a girl barely out of nursery school, as was the custom. Likely there could have been no better husband for the silly young thing that she was. He was gentle and sweet and everything a girl could ask for.

But Amenmesse was strong and possessive and brutal in a way that Seti could never be. He awakened in her a great hunger, a desire she never even knew existed. He was force and flames, a rage in the night. Didn't he know? Didn't he _know_?

There is no returning. You cannot unlearn passion. It is either there, or it is not, and here it is, glorious. A thousand battle cries called out in the midst of war doesn't even come close to the victory had when finally on the verge of satisfaction. Never did she believe more that Pharaoh truly was the living God than the moment before she pulled him into her body. It was so surreal, so impossible that such a thing did not come from Ra himself- God of fire.

Passion personified.

* * *

It seemed that the argument was not going to wait until morning. Takhat sighed, sensing the return of her husband's foul mood following their lovemaking, and rose to dress. Her knees still shaking, she did the best she could while he watched from the bed.

"I have someone that I want you to see," he said finally.

She didn't answer, but felt butterflies begin swarming in her belly as he started dressing as well. He didn't put on a simple wrap as he so often did in the evenings, but a full tunic and added the formal touches of Pharaoh.

"Someone outside of the palace?" she asked.

He motioned towards the door, and she stepped towards it as calmly as possible with him following behind. Once in the Great Hall, Amenmesse grabbed a flaming torch and led her through many dark hallways and down seven flights of stairs until they were deep underground in a region she had never been permitted to go. She knew that there was a cache of treasure in one of the rooms, but doubted that's where they were going now.

Takhat remained silent as they neared a darkened chamber, fear sending her senses into overdrive. Amenmesse's mood had gone from dark to black as they descended into the bowls of the palace.

He fixed the torch on the wall inside, and then stepped away to allow Takhat to enter. What she saw took her breath away.

Blood.

Entrails.

The battered and bruised body of her unfortunate co-conspirator, Neferhotep, tortured it seemed, for information.

She clamped down on the emotions running wildly through her mind, and clasped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Neferhotep was chained to a table where fresh blood coagulated next to rust colored stains, making it seem as though he'd been there for several days.

Neferhotep was now dead.

"What…Why…" The words wouldn't come. Had Amenmesse done this himself, or appointed one of his guards to do it? It was unclean for one to dabble with blood. It marred the soul.

Amenmesse stalked past Takhat in a slow, deliberate manner and rounded the table, looking down on his former captive.

"You did not tell me that we had a spy in our midst," he accused, without taking his eyes away from Neferhotep.

Lying was of no use. "He was a good, kind old man. There was no reason to kill him."

"No reason!" Amenmesse flew into a sudden rage, making her jump. "He was an agent of Seti, looking to usurp me from my throne. MY throne, given to me by Ra! How dare he, how dare ANYONE try to take away what has been given by the Gods."

She did not remind him that he had usurped Seti's throne in the first place.

Amenmesse continued, his eyes narrowing into slits. "He told me Seti's plan to reinstate you as queen and allow Siptah to be his heir."

"Msy…" she pleaded.

"MY son! The heir of Seti?"

Guilt burned in her belly over the deception of Siptah's paternity. Bred from one, raised by the other; he could rightfully be either man's heir. She kept silent, for fear of what would happen to her if she spoke.

He stepped towards her menacingly, and she backed up slowly away from him. "You did not tell me, because you have already decided," he continued.

"No!"

"You would be his Queen."

"No, I would never…"

"You would help him to KILL me."

His hands clapped around her arms like irons, and she shook her head from side to side, tears streaming down her face. He had never been so violent with her. His eyes bore down on hers, and his voice lowered to a growl.

"You will not be successful."

"Msy, please!"

"Neferhotep also told me where Seti is hiding. Not even twenty miles away in the Great Field. Can you believe the audacity? To seat himself within the tombs of our fathers?"

He gave a mirthless laugh, and then leaned his face down to where their noses almost touched and whispered. "But know this Takhat, your great lover will not survive the night. I have already sent Medjay to finally rid myself of that ungrateful brother. He will be hung as a vandal. Dismembered. Sobek will taste the blood of Seti by morning. "

Horror settled into her stomach hearing of Seti's planned demise, but she tried not to let it register in her eyes. Too late, Amenmesse caught the look and sneered, releasing her with a shove. Finally free, and fearing for her own safety, Takhat ran out of the chamber and all the way back up seven flights of stairs in the dark, stumbling a few times on unsteady feet. She did not stop at the top, even though her lungs felt like they were full of fire. She ran all the way out of the palace and to the stables where she readied a carriage for use.

Rather than have a valet report back to Amenmesse about her whereabouts, Takhat took the reins herself and drove it all the way to Karnak in the dead of night. She ran into the Temple of Menthu and dropped to her knees before Ma'at, gazing up at the Eye of Horus, pleading silently for help.

She'd done everything she could think of in the past, touched everywhere, pressed, poked and tapped till her fingers were bruised but had never found the way in to the secret hiding place of the God. It was time to take drastic measures.

Takhat picked up the copper staff of Pharaoh she'd brought with her, and smashed the Eye of Horus with it's tip, praying and apologizing to the old Gods for her destruction. The black eye crinkled with scratches at first, and then finally a crack opened up that widened as she pounded at it. When the staff suddenly hit a pocket of air and sunk inwards several inches, Takhat knew that she'd found the secret compartment. Out of breath and with her heart pounding, she reached inside the hole and pulled out a small object wrapped in white linen.

The heavy staff fell from her hands and the loud clang as it hit the floor echoed across the hall, but Takhat didn't hear it. She unwrapped the object and stared into the crystal revealed, it's light dazzling her. Her hands, warped from the long carriage ride and badgering of the wall were instantly healed.

She knew what she had to do. Rewrapping the gift, Takhat made her way out to the carriage and headed back towards Waset. Destination: The Great and Majestic Necropolis, Valley of the Kings.

* * *

When she arrived, Takhat was stunned to see so many dead bodies of the Medjay, guardians of the sacred necropolis. It was not terribly out of the question that Seti had gotten past them in the first place, for they were likely still loyal to the former king. But with orders from Amenmesse to kill him, they had fought Seti's soldiers and died. It saddened Takhat to see so much senseless waste.

Chancellor Bay, a former clerk of Ramesses II, found her immediately.

"Queen Takhat," he said quickly bowing and out of breath. "The King has been gravely injured. Medjay found him in his bedchamber. His guards were able to fight them off, but not before the king suffered grievous wounds."

"Take me to him," she ordered, but the administrator paused, unsure of her motives. "I have something that can help him," she promised. "But only if I go personally."

Still, the crafty man was unsure and he looked shiftily from side to side, weighing his options. She did not have time to play games.

"Regardless of whether or not Seti lives, I am the mother of Pharaoh. Do as I say, and you will serve on Siptah's council."

At this, Chancellor Bay nodded, and barked out orders at the guards to let her pass. He moved to follow her, but she held up her hand.

"I must go alone."

She didn't wait for him to barter for more power, and walked into the tomb of Amenmesse. Still under construction, it was the only tomb in the valley that was not locked by a series of stone blockings. The burial chambers of the kings had to be hidden from the world in order to keep their treasures safe. Seeing the images of Amenmesse, as well as herself, covering the walls brought tears to her eyes.

Great Royal Queen.

Doing what she must do now would change everything.

She followed the torches through the narrow and sometimes tiny pathways, to the chamber where Seti lie injured. Three different doctors, including a very embarrassed personal physician to Amenmesse, looked up at her in surprise.

"Leave," she ordered in a flat voice. They stuttered, but seeing the resolved look in her eyes, reluctantly followed her command. Once gone, she finally allowed herself to look upon Seti's mangled body. His color was ashy, reminding her of desert sand in the moonlight, paler than any Egyptian skin should ever look. He had always been a large man, but somehow lying on the floor tonight he appeared small, weak. Ordinary.

She knelt beside him and took his hand, feeling for the pulse at his wrist. Very slow, and she could barely see the faint rise and fall of his breathing.

"Seti?"

Bloody linens covered his body, and used strips littered the area around them as well as clay pots of water and small copper tools. She raised the bandages to see several large gashes where he'd recently been operated on. Amenmesse's soldiers had nearly succeeded.

She felt a stir at her side, and glanced back up at Seti's face to see that his eyes had opened. Still kind, even after everything, but not full of love. Those feelings had always been reserved for Tausret.

"Seti? I have something that can heal you. A gift from a winged God who hid it in the Temple of Menthu."

His face remained unchanged, as if not really hearing her. Didn't matter. She unwrapped the crystal and held it before him, dazzled again by its light. It flashed brighter than before and seemed to encapsulate the entire chamber. Almost immediately Seti's color seemed to improve, and indeed he sat up without difficulty and reached for the stone she held in her hand. She tried to keep it for herself, but Seti's strong hands took it away easily, and he stared into it, studying the mysteries within.

Finally the light subsided, and Takhat blinked, feeling as though she were being released from hypnosis. Seti stood up from his mat on the floor, and pushed the bandages off of his body, revealing the smooth, unmarred flesh of his torso. Wonder crossed his features, and then suspicion.

"Where did you get this?"

"I told you, from a God."

"Which God?"

She frowned. "I'm not sure. He could fly, but was not Horus. He placed the stone into Ma'at."

"This must be used for very special purposes and cannot fall into the wrong hands. It is for truth… justice."

"I have kept it safe for ten years." Her face fell as she realized that he was not going to give it back to her.

"Chancellor Bay," Seti greeted, when the nosy man stepped into the chamber.

"Pharaoh!" Bay exclaimed. "You have been healed!" He fell to his knees and bowed to the living God.

"Rise," Seti commanded. He rewrapped the crystal in the white linen and handed it to the Chancellor. "Take this to Ineb-Hedj this very moment. Let it be guarded by a hundred men, and kill anyone who comes near it."

A last deep bow, and the chancellor rose and accepted the gift, keeping his eyes downcast out of respect. He shuffled out of the room, leaving the former husband and wife alone. Seti's eyes returned to Takhat.

"The Gods thank you for your service," he said, and she nodded, wishing that were enough. The loss of power that she felt made her nautious. She searched his face for answers.

"I thank you too," he added softly. A kind smile and suddenly she was back, a gawky girl of 13, all knees and elbows being given as wife to the most powerful man in the world. At that time she'd felt so lucky, so special. Regardless of her status as fourth wife, she'd loved him. Of course she had. And then she'd stabbed him in the back and run away with his brother.

A tear trailed down her cheek at the hopelessness of it all. He placed a hand on her shoulder, no doubt reliving the same painful memories.

"What's done is done," he whispered, pulling her into an embrace.

Takhat exhaled deeply and tried to figure out what to do next. Seti's death arguably would have solved all of her current problems. Amenmesse wouldn't have to fear for his throne or his wife's loyalty, and things could go on as they had.

But there was something in Amenmesse's eye in that dark chamber underneath the palace that frightened her. Not to even mention that he was most likely present at the time of Neferhotep's death, joining his wife immediately after for lovemaking. There had always been subtle hints of this darkness, but she had chosen to overlook them out of love.

And this is what she has done out of fear. She felt ruined and foolish. There would be no good end to this. Amenmesse would never leave quietly, nor would he just allow her to return to her former life. He'd die first. Or she would…

What did she think? That she could run away with Amenmesse and live happily ever after while his monuments were destroyed and reign deconstructed? The problem was, she hadn't thought at all, there'd been no time for it.

Takhat sighed and looked up at her former husband.

"Seti…" she began.

"Isn't this quaint?" A familiar voice came from the door. Amenmesse stepped into the chamber with an unreadable expression on his face.

"How did you get in here?" Seti demanded.

Amenmesse laughed. "Is this not the tomb of Amenmesse? My Queen is to be interred here as well, so there must be an entrance for her after mine is sealed." He paused to let that sink in before continuing. "Funny though, to be interrogated by the man who has his arms around my wife."

Seti didn't flinch. "She was my wife before you took her away from me."

"I didn't take her anywhere. She came to me willingly."

Takhat could feel Seti's firm resolve crumble a little under that, as he had always suspected as much. The punishment for women who committed adultery was often death, and so the rape story had been necessary to protect her.

"Takhat was young, and she clearly made a mistake." Seti kept his eyes on Amenmesse, rather than look at Takhat whose mouth had dropped open a little.

"Come now Seti, we both know none of this has anything to do with Takhat at all. Don't you have other wives? Is not Tausret your most beloved High Queen?"

"That's not…"

"You want to be Pharaoh, that's what this is about. You want absolute power. And…" He stepped menacingly towards Seti, his black eyes shining. "You want my son."

"No." Seti was surprisingly resolute.

"You need an heir, because yours was faulty. So you think you can take mine."

"I don't need to take anything from you," Seti said in a confident voice. Takhat's heart began to race. Did he know the truth? "I only want what is rightfully mine."

Amenmesse truly seemed to have no idea what he was talking about.

"Siptah," Seti continued, and Takhat felt like the floor had fallen under her feet. "Siptah is my son."

Her eyes flew to her husband, who looked understandably puzzled. His face contorted in a mask of shock and when he finally looked at her for confirmation. She knew he was searching memories, looking for evidence, compiling data to prove the accusation false, but she could give him nothing to ease his mind.

A brief moment of hurt, and then absolute rage. He lunged at Seti, forcing him back and slamming him against the wall. The underground crypt around them shuddered, and dust fell from the ceiling. Amenmesse wrapped his hands around Seti's throat and squeezed. Spittle erupted from his brother's mouth as he tried to free himself. As large as he was though, his calm spirit was no match against the beast that raged within Amenmesse.

Takhat wanted to stop him, should have done something, but she stood frozen in place, terror on her face. In that moment, she honestly didn't know which should win their final battle. Even after saving Seti's life earlier, she was still torn.

Seti managed to get a knee up and knocked Amenmesse's grip loose. While his opponent was slightly off balance, Seti sucker punched his jaw and then knocked him over onto the ground. He sat on top of Amenmesse, with one of his knees planted firmly on his brother's wrist, trapping him in place. While the two men wrestled for control, a hand snapped loose and grabbed a surgeon's knife. Takhat watched the blade draw up to Amenmesse's neck in slow motion, for it was Seti's hand, which held it. Her husband only had one free hand to fight him off.

"Stop," she squeaked out, coming out of her semi-coma.

Seti placed the tip against the windpipe and pressed, making a tiny pinprick of red suddenly appear. Amenmesse pushed back against his attacker, but the blade kept coming, opening the wound wider, and spilling more blood.

"Stop!" Takhat shouted. She felt her feet come unglued, and rushed over to them, pulling backwards on Seti's torso to pull him off. It gave Amenmesse enough reach to free his other hand. He shoved Seti backwards, lifting himself into a sitting position. Too late, his hand darted out to take the knife, but Seti had already plunged it deep into his chest.

It happened so fast, that nobody had time to react. They all just sat there on the ground near each other, looking down at the knife sticking out of Amenmesse's chest. His startled expression and gasp drew Takhat's eyes back up to his face. Emotions swirled within her and tears welled when he met her gaze.

Finally, Seti withdrew the knife and a river of blood began flowing down his belly. It pumped out slowly in spurts, rather than one steady stream.

Takhat rushed over and placed her hands against the wound. "Help him!" she shouted at Seti who hadn't moved from his previous position. She got no answer, and turned her head to see that he was still there. "Get the stone back!"

Seti looked mournful, but did not move or call out for help. He was not going to have the stone brought back.

Takhat could see tears brimming in his eyes, but she shut her own, suddenly hating him, hating herself, hating everything but Amenmesse. Gurgling brought her attention back. Blood had begun to seep out of his mouth, and he was choking on it.

"Shh," she soothed, sniffling and wrapping her free arm around his shoulders to lift up his head. His mouth moved in an effort to talk, but no intelligible sound would come out. He began to choke again.

His eyes told her without words that he was scared. Pharaoh; the living God afraid of making the journey into the afterlife.

"Shh, don't talk." She smiled at him through her tears, and leaned down, kissing him on the forehead.

He clung to her tightly at first, and then grew weaker, the weight of him becoming difficult to support. She held on anyway though, rocking him a little as she would have their children after a bad dream. She no longer pressed the wound in his chest, there was no point. His life was slipping away and he became still and resolved.

Amenmesse gazed up into her eyes for as long as he could. There were no words, no sounds around them. All she felt was love, and knew without any doubt that he felt it too. He touched her face, seeming to take in her features for a final time. She didn't think of the old days, but rather stayed in this very moment with him, savoring each second they had left. He smiled weakly, and she smiled back. There was no more pain, no more cause to argue and be cross with each other. This was her husband, her lover, her king and friend. He was the other half of her soul.

Amenmesse gave a great shuddering sigh, his body releasing its final breath. With his eyes still open, he left her there, crying over his bloodied body, which no longer knew fear. As Inpu carried his spirit away, he whispered a promise to see her again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four Waset, Egypt: 1198 BC**

Takhat shuffled through the long corridor leading to the garden outside. Her gait was stiff, hair and dress looked wild and unkempt, and the people she passed stared after her as she passed by. Where had the beautiful Takhat gone? But she didn't even care. Following the death of Amenmesse, massive changes had occurred in her life, one of which was her current address. She lived in her own household now, again 4th wife to Seti, but away from the rest of the wives, and indeed, away from most people in general. All that she saw anymore were the workers who took care of her house and grounds, and her son, Siptah, now a strong 15 year old man.

She moved down the garden path, clutching her wrapper tightly around herself, muttering to no one. "The stone is clear. It is a crystal, clear. Hard. Hard as stone, but it is crystal. Crystal is clear…"

Seti had moved her to a fine house, further east from the palace she'd once lived in, closer to the Nile. She needed rest, he said, and time to grieve.

But what she wanted was revenge. In her twisted mind, Seti was the sole party responsible for Amenmesse's death, and he needed to pay.

He'd come twice to see how she was doing with gentle smiles and a soothing voice to calm her. She'd poisoned his beer on the first visit, and stabbed him with a small (and woefully inefficient) cooking utensil on the second. Needless to say, she never shared his bed again, hadn't since before marrying Amenmesse. Rather than bring her up on charges, and possibly even out of guilt (or so she hoped), Seti simply sent her away. She didn't mind. Seeing him only brought her rage more into focus, like the point of a sharp dagger.

The years were not kind to Takhat. The beauty, which had made her so famous, had begun to slip away, marring her face with lines and wrinkles. She looked much older than her relatively young years, but since she never looked into mirrors anymore, for fear that the spirits would grab hold of her and pull her into their world, this wasn't a concern.

Superstitions became her entire world. Gods and ghosts were everywhere, speaking to her through the wind and weather and in the nature around her. The sudden death of a houseplant could set her on edge for months at a time. These things simply didn't happen by accident. A spirit needs only to breathe on something to wither it away.

Takhat walked the long way around a pool so as not to see her reflection, and froze when a cat suddenly leaped over the garden wall. It stalked forwards and sat down directly in front of her, looking into her wide eyes.

"You want the stone? The crystal stone? Lost from me, gone away."

But the cat remained, and fear plagued Takhat's heart. It was delivering a message from Amenmesse, who obviously now held sway over the Gods, as he'd always said he would. Ever since the night he died, she hadn't stopped sensing him everywhere. He appeared in dreams, whispered at her from behind corners and hid in every shadow. He would not let her go until she avenged his death, and now the divine had come to tell her it was time.

But how? It was impossible to kill Pharaoh if you couldn't even get close to him. What weapon did she have that could reach that far?

She found her answer in the eyes of the cat. It blinked, and realizing that she'd finally received the message, got up and made its way back to the wall. A final glance in her direction, and it leaped up and over. A stray palm leaf, stirred up in the cat's wake, swirled and wafted over to Takhat's feet; a token of thanks.

Resolved, she began constructing the plan in her broken mind, forcing the pieces back together.

* * *

One week later, Takhat took special care in her appearance. She brushed the tangles out of her hair, and put on a clean, white shift. She did not bother to apply kohl to her eyes, but thought she looked well enough for the guest that was expected. Nervous energy kept her on edge most of the day, and she reworked what she planned to say over and over in her head, making sure it was right.

When she heard the creek of her garden gate, Takhat fell to the ground in her bedroom and worked up a mess of tears, sobbing like she hadn't cried in years.

"Mother?" Siptah called, running through the house to find her. He rushed into the room and dropped to his knees beside her, gathering her up in his arms. "Mother, what is it? What's happened?"

"…tell me Msy, what I need to do…" she said, shaking her head from side to side, ignoring him.

Siptah became distressed, and tried his best to console her. "Mother what do you mean? What can I do?"

She looked up at him, finally 'recognizing' her son. He was a fine looking young man, already as big and tall as Seti with the same gentle eyes. "Siptah, you must help me!"

"Yes, tell me, please!"

"Your father… his blood calls out for revenge. Amenmesse demands justice for the crime committed against him."

"I thought Father was killed in the uprising?"

Takhat placed a warm palm to his cheek and shook her head sadly. "No," she said. "There is only one person responsible for his death."

"Who is it? Tell me!"

She pulled away from him and covered her face. "No, I cannot. I cannot say…"

"Why? I don't understand."

"I have to speak to him first."

"To the murderer? How?"

"No, to your father. Siptah, you must take me to him."

Siptah's eyes went wide. "Mother, I can't. He's already entombed…"

"I must see him!" She turned back around and fell into his arms again, sobbing against his chest. "I must see for myself what he demands. He haunts me Siptah! He is powerful in the Underworld, and I fear for you, for everyone if we do not do as he asks. Inpu will not be able to keep him there for long."

"But… the Medjay. How do we get past them, or even into the tomb at all? Do you even know where it is?"

"Trust me, Siptah," she said, looking deeply into his eyes. "I can take care of everything."

Siptah reluctantly agreed, and the next evening they set out into the desert. As they neared the valley, Medjay were nowhere to be seen. Siptah had no idea that Takhat had paid a young troublemaker to set fire to a temple nearby. And so the Medjay were understandably busy.

They entered the valley silently, and Takhat noticed Siptah shiver beside her. She did not comfort him in his fear though, because it was necessary to aid her plan. His uneasiness was understandable. The wind howled and whispered, throwing strange noises down from the rocky cliffs around them.

"Do you hear them Siptah?" she whispered.

"Hear what?"

"The spirits of Pharaoh. They are alive, can you hear?"

He did not answer her, but she had already slipped inside of her own thoughts anyway. In truth, she did hear them. Their voices rose up all around her and hissed as they passed in the chariot. Most of all, she could feel her husband's call in the wind and in the sand. _Join me_, he said.

She wished she had.

In the years since his death she'd lived with one half of her body firmly entrenched in the spirit realm. She felt as though she'd partially died with him. Shameful now, that when her death would come, she would be remembered as a lower wife of Seti II. Had she been stronger, Takhat would have taken poison all those years ago and died the Great Royal Queen of Amenmesse, his most beloved.

As they rode past the tomb of Ramesses II, tears welled in Takhat's eyes. Things had been so much simpler when her father still lived. Innocent. Protected.

What would he think of what she was about to do? Would he strike her down? Should he? She thought that, yes, he probably should, and that her death would most likely come following this. But it might as well; she had waited long enough.

Takhat instructed Siptah to stop in front of an open tomb, still under construction. The noble who it was started for, had already died many years before, and the work stopped. Now it stood vacant, Amenmesse its last visitor.

It had taken a while for Takhat to realize how her husband had entered his tomb without the Medjay seeing him. She would now follow his footsteps to get back in. Had to, because once a tomb was sealed, it was impossible to open. The front entrance was completely sealed by seven stone blocking slabs, held into place by metal bolts, which could not be removed without completely destroying the slab and collapsing the front entrance.

Siptah followed his mother into the dark, dusty tomb. She lit a torch and walked down the main corridor, smiling to see the faint remains of footprints bearing the crest of Pharaoh's sandals. She followed them down the many passageways until coming to a solid wall. It seemed that Amenmesse had walked straight through the hidden door.

They felt around on the walls around it, looking for a catch or knob that would allow them through.

"Found it!" Siptah released a catch in the base of a giant stone pillar. The walls rumbled as the hidden door pulled away and opened. They stepped down into a small chamber, and froze- the smell of heavy incense and faint lingering death permeated the air. Spread over the door in front of them, was the name of Amenmesse.

"Wait here for me," she said, handing him her torch once she lit another for herself. He looked around nervously, but agreed, putting on a brave face. She passed under Amenmesse's name with no small amount of trepidation.

The Great Hall bore four giant pillars, two on each side of a divided stairway, which led to the burial chamber. The jackal-headed God of the Underworld, Inpu decorated each pillar. Scenes from the Book of Gates and Book of the Dead adorned the walls around them, as well as cartouches of Amenmesse. Always, Amenmesse was pictured with Takhat, and they knelt together, offering gifts to the Gods. She was depicted as his equal, a stunning departure from most pharaohs' who placed images of their queens at their feet.

Beautifully rendered, his lovely gesture to her was tucked away in her heart before she picked up a stray brick and began scraping away all of the images of her face. She worked quickly and quietly and then screamed as loud as she could. Siptah came running.

She pointed up at the ruined reliefs in horror. "He did this…" she gasped. "Your father…"

"My father is dead," Siptah reminded, though he felt spooked himself. Who would do such a thing?

"He wants to punish me!" she nearly screamed, and took off running up the staircase, towards the burial chamber.

"Mother!" Siptah yelled, running after her.

While they ran, the wild flickering of the torch Takhat held illuminated the images on the walls, and every couple of feet was another scratched out painting of his mother. It seemed that not a single likeness of her remained in the tomb.

When they finally reached the burial chamber, Takhat let out an anguished cry and fell to her knees. The ornate lid of Amenmesse's sarcophagus had been pried open, and lay abandoned on the floor. The recently dead Pharaoh was no longer there.

And she hadn't been the one to move him. Real tears streamed down her face in fear.

Siptah rushed to his mother's side and pulled her into his arms. "It was vandals. They have taken my father's body. Look around. I'm sure there are valuables missing as well."

Takhat shook her head and cried. "No. He has risen and seeks revenge. I betrayed him. I used the stone to heal Seti, and didn't use it on Amenmesse. He died because of me."

"I thought you said that Seti should have used it?"

"It doesn't matter now. It was my fault that your father was injured in the first place. If I hadn't come here… If I had only let Seti die…"

"I know the stone that you're talking about," he said, tipping his mother's chin up.

"You've seen it?"

"Yes. Seti has shown it to me in Hwt-ka-Ptah, and said that it was a gift from the Gods. It is only to be used for good. He had it placed into a statue of Ma'at and hidden somewhere."

Her eyes grew wide as saucers. Finally, a chance to reclaim everything that Seti had stolen from her! It was not part of the plan, but could fit in nicely.

"You must get it for me!"

"Why?"

"Your father has risen, but I fear that he is only half in this world. The stone can heal him and bring him back from the underworld. If I bring Amenmesse back, he will no longer be angry with me!"

Siptah looked worried, and Takhat placed her hands on his face. "Please," she begged. "Let me right the wrong I have committed against him. Help me."

He shook his head sadly. "Mother, I can't. Seti would not have hidden it away if it were not dangerous. I trust and respect his decision."

Anger filled Takhat's eyes, and she began to shake with emotion. "You trust him?" she asked in a hard voice. "You trust the man who murdered your father?"

Siptah sat back from her in shock, feeling as though he'd been struck. "He would never…" he began.

"He did, and in this very tomb. He plunged a knife directly into your father's heart and let him bleed to death. He could have saved him, but he did not. Seti is a good man?"

She did not regret her words, and believed them completely. Siptah's eyes clouded over with something she had never seen in him before- hatred.

"Mother," he said, his voice shaking. "I cannot just take a statue from Pharaoh. Not even if I am his son."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and projected calmness. "You can take the statue anywhere you want…if you are Pharaoh."

* * *

One month later, under steady guidance from his mother, Siptah murdered Seti. The confrontation between the two was wildly whispered about among the common people, friends and relatives to workers in the palace who likely had seen some or all of what happened. The boy had charged the man with murder, something that Seti could not easily deny. Seeing the truth in his eyes, Siptah thrust a spear into his belly, and proclaimed himself Pharaoh.

Takhat waited nervously for Siptah to come to her following the death of Seti, but he did not arrive, nor did he send word. Weeks passed without any communication at all, and she started becoming suspicious. Was it not only the duties of Pharaoh that kept him away? Did he know of her deception?

Surely the Gods would protect her. They were the ones after all, who pushed her to commit the act to begin with. Rather than get better, her visions and torments grew worse. Takhat's spells of insanity grew so great, that she was no longer able to leave the safety of her bedroom. She suffered in the heat after locking every entry point up tight to prevent spirits from entering.

When the Medjay came to arrest her, Takhat was horrified to see the same cat sunning itself on the edge of the garden wall. It watched her leave, and swished its tail from side to side. _Silly girl._

Tausret was the first to see her at the palace.

"You have been arrested for the murder of Pharaoh," she said in an emotionless voice. Since Siptah was still a young man, his stepmother Tausret had become co-regent of Egypt.

"My son will not allow me to stay like this."

"It was Siptah who ordered your arrest. After I told him that Seti was his true father, he was obviously quite distraught. To have been forced to murder his own father…"

Takhat felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach. Of course Tausret would know if Seti knew. They had no secrets. In her madness, Takhat had forgotten about that.

"But you will not be publicly tried," Tausret continued. "The punishment for your crime is death, but you will not die quickly. Since you so loved Amenmesse's tomb, you shall be sealed inside of it forever."

"No!" Takhat screamed, remembering her husband's empty sarcophagus. She knew that he was angrier than ever, and if he were truly half alive, and in that tomb… "You can't do that. I must talk to Siptah!"

"It is so ordered. There is nothing else for you to say to Pharaoh," Tausret said sternly. She nodded to a guard nearby who took Takhat to a waiting cell.

The next morning, she was dragged from the cell kicking and screaming. By the time they reached the secret entrance to Amenmesse's tomb, Takhat's throat was so hoarse, she couldn't speak anymore.

Medjay forced her into the Amenmesse's tomb, and sealed the door shut behind her. She huddled in a corner paralyzed by fear and waited for Amenmesse to find her. If only she'd had the stone, she could have healed his weakened body and been pardoned.

She waited, but he never came. Finally, curiosity got the better of her, and she searched his tomb, walking through every passage and inspecting every room. There was no sign of Amenmesse at all. She began to wonder if he had even been placed in here in the first place. Had Seti moved him? Realizing that she was alone, Takhat began to relax and accepted her fate.

In the desert heat, death would not take long. For whatever reason, her madness seemed to abate and she could see things more clearly. She had been foolish and driven by passion to do ridiculous things. How could she be angry with her son for ordering her death when it was she herself who put hatred in his heart? No, none of this was Siptah's fault.

She tried to absolve Seti in her mind as well, but that had been a long-standing irritation, not easily discarded.

She slept more often than not and dreamed of her husband. In her dreams, Amenmesse was kind and gentle, but never spoke. When he took her hand and led her into the Underworld, his eyes were full of love.

The fate of Takhat was never known to the common people, bit it was thought that she was interred with her former husband Amenmesse. As only the fourth wife of Seti II, she soon passed out of memory, the people only remembering legends about the half-mad former Queen. She became, in essence, a wraith, doomed to haunt the Valley of the Kings, her screams in the night echoing down the rocky cliffs and warding away those who would dare seek entrance. Those who looted her tomb soon died of mysterious illnesses. She would grant life only to her husband, only to Amenmesse, come back from the dead. She waited…

She waited…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five ****The Valley of the Kings- Luxor, Egypt: Fall 2004**

Lex awoke with a start, his entire body shaking and drenched with sweat. The visions he'd seen were incredible, and though he could never be sure if they were real, he believed in the moment that they were. He'd been shown the past.

He swung his legs over to the side of the altar, and gasped seeing that the room he was in had changed. Where before it had been a dirty, crumbled mess, it was now finely crafted and brilliantly painted in deep shades of red, blue and green. Torches lined the walls, casting a golden hue across everything. Was he still in the past?

He glanced up at the thrones of Osiris and Isis and was shocked to see a woman seated there. She wore a sheer white dress, her breasts and skin perfectly visible underneath. Long, dark hair flowed down her back, and as she stood up, it swayed a little from side to side. Her face remained in shadow.

"Who are you?" he asked, watching her carefully. As she descended the steps, her features came more into focus. Though he had suspected it all along, the visage of Takhat moved towards him.

Remembering her vindictiveness, he was suddenly afraid. He didn't know _what_ she was, let alone what she wanted, and had no idea what she was capable of. For all he knew, she could be angry that he invaded her tomb.

Lex stepped away from the altar, and felt faint, his body desperately needing his doctor's attention. He wanted to appear strong and in control, but his body gave out, and crashed to the ground. Takhat rushed to his side, and he froze in terror, defenseless.

She knelt beside him, and reached her hands out to him gently. It surprised him to see her face full of concern and compassion. Takhat spoke soothingly to him in an old language, holding him in her arms and caressing his face with her hands. She kissed him, and cried tears of joy.

The implications of this made him dizzy with questions. And confused. And kind of shaky… He flipped his wrist over to look at his watch, and tried to concentrate enough on the numbers to see them. 82.4 hours. Well over the 72-hour maximum given to him by his doctor. Was he dying then? Was this just a hallucination?

It sort of figured that he'd be hallucinating about a beautiful woman, but wouldn't it be better if she were…

Just as the name surfaced in his mind, the woman's face lost focus and morphed into the girl he wanted. Lana, whose face held eyes full of tears and a mind-blowing expression of love, gazed down at him. His heart raced wildly, but Lex felt as though the world stood still. To have Lana look at him like that…

There were no words, no sounds around them. All he felt was love, and knew without any doubt that she felt it too. He touched her face, seeming to take in her features for a final time. He thought of everything that he was going to miss- her smirk after he tells a lame joke, her self-conscious laugh when she has a bad hair day (even though he still thinks it's fabulous), the way she looks away with a small smile when he catches her watching him from across the room… And he couldn't help but think of the things they hadn't shared yet- intimate secrets whispered in the dark, making sleepy love in the morning, and the comfortable silence that only comes with understanding and trust.

He was not ready to let it all go. Would he ever be?

Lex grasped her face in his hands, and before she could run away, disappear or change back, he kissed her, feeling as though he held everything he'd ever wanted. Lana kissed him back sweetly, and though he didn't want to stop, he felt his body begin to give out. She stroked his brow and then reached down beside her to get something.

Lex watched through bleary eyes as Lana held out her hand to him, a small fist-sized crystal on her palm. She whispered something in the same old language, and though he didn't understand it, Lex knew what she meant. She was going to save him.

The crystal glowed and surrounded them both in a blinding, white light. Immediately, Lex felt himself grow stronger and able to sit up on his own. While the light still dazzled, Lex stared into Lana's awestruck eyes. If this were only a hallucination, it stood to reason that she would disappear once he was completely healed. Feeling frightened that she were about to leave, Lex put his arms around her, and held on tightly. He felt tears brim in his eyes as he crushed her lips with his own, and slowly felt her dissolve under his fingertips into nothing. When the white light faded, there was nothing there.

* * *

"Mr. Luthor!" Paki shouted as he tried to rouse the sleeping man.

Lex opened his eyes feeling heavy and sad. "What?" he barked out, louder than he meant to.

"The men, Mr. Luthor. They have found something!"

Lex sat up with difficulty, and was surprised that he felt so weak. He looked around to see that he was back in the present, surrounded by a dirty, shambles of a tomb. It had only been a dream, and Lex was not healed. He looked at his watch and saw that it said 81.6 hours. He was already out of time.

"Show me," Lex said, getting unsteadily to his feet. He gave Paki a hard look that kept the man from asking if he were all right.

As they made their way down the passageway, Lex remembered the glyph on the wall, and hurried to see what they'd found. As they handed him the statue, Lex couldn't help but smile, seeing the Goddess Ma'at. Seti had hidden it in this wall. But why?

"Sir, there's one more thing…" Paki said, tearing Lex's attention away from the treasure in his hands.

Paki pointed at the large hole in the wall, and handed Lex a flashlight. The men around them were silent. Lex peered through the opening at a plain looking sarcophagus, surrounded by several intact canopic jars and boxes filled with gold. The true burial chamber of Amenmesse had finally been found.

Rather than let the world in on his discovery, because he was looting this tomb after all, Lex ordered the room to be packed up and sent back to Kansas. And knowing that she'd like to go as well, Lex had them pack up the skull that had been found in the burial chamber. Shame that the rest of Takhat's bones had not survived the millennia. What he would do with it all, he didn't know, but felt that somehow they belonged to him.

82.4 hours after his last dialysis session, while 20,000 feet in the air, Lex was healed by the crystal hidden in the statue. Though it had not been handed to him by Lana this time, he couldn't help but think of her as the white light surrounded him. It took everything he had not to call her immediately once arriving back in Kansas.

He didn't have to.

Only two days later, she called him herself to let him know that she was coming home. Coming home to him.

Somewhere, the Gods must be smiling.


	6. End Notes

**End Notes:**

I took about a billion liberties while writing this fic! So here are my notes and apologies for having mish-mashed together a poor representation of Egyptian history.

First of all, I referred to Smallville episode Crusade, which depicted the excavation of a tomb and the discovery of the first stone of knowledge by Lex. This episode also explained the legend behind the stones, that when put together revealed a fount of knowledge that would "put the library of Alexandria to shame." Since no exact location in Egypt is mentioned, I decided to place the site in the Valley of the Kings, which is in Luxor (ancient Thebes). I picked a specific tomb, KV10 due to the slight similarity of Seti II and Amenmesse to Lex and Clark's battle for supremacy.

.com/wiki/Stones_of_Power

.com/wiki/Kawatche_Caves

.org/wiki/Amenmesse

.edu/Dept/Faculty/bart/egyptianhtml/kings%20and%

.

Descriptions of the visuals inside of tomb KV10 are my own. For accurate information regarding the real chambers within, see the following websites.

/

.com/sites/browse_tomb_

.org/wiki/Valley_Of_The_Kings

.

.

Not much is known about this time period, or about these two kings. They may have been half brothers, sons of Ramesses II (Ramses the Great), and are both linked to the name Takhat. The name is used several times, and is generally assumed to have been different people…

"Takhat was a daughter of Ramesses II and probably Henutmire. It is believed that she married Merneptah although Dodson proposes that she was an additional queen of Seti II. This is difficult to reconcile since she is also believed to be the mother of Twosret, Seti II's wife. Another Takhat is believed to have been the Great Royal Wife of Amenmesse."

In this story, Takhat, Seti II, Tausret and Amenmesse are all half-siblings (as they may have been in life, children of either Ramesses II or his son and successor Merenptah). It was extremely common for a sister to be married to her brother, and even for a daughter to be married to her father in Egyptian royalty. I didn't want to squick anyone out though, so I tried not to make the sibling relationship terribly obvious. They each have different mothers, but share the same father- Ramesses II (The Great). Since royal blood ran through women and not men, Pharaoh had to marry a royal princess in order to inherit the throne. More often than not, that princess ended up being one of his sisters.

The struggle between Takhat and the two brothers is mostly made up by me. As far as I know, one woman didn't marry both. I made up the daughters, borrowing that from Queen Nefertiti, who actually did have five daughters. They don't really share a prominent role in the story, I just liked the idea of it. :P

I also completely ignored the pharaoh that came after Ramesses and before the whole Seti/Amenmesse drama. Merenptah ruled from 1213-1203, and could possibly be the father of Seti II. It's all very unclear due to the chaos that followed the death of Ramesses the Great, one of Egypt's greatest and longest reigning pharaohs. For this tale, I replaced this pharaoh with Seti.

For the ages of Takhat, Amenmesse and Seti II, I pretty much just made them up to fit my story. Merenptah was the 13th son of Ramesses (the former 12 had passed away before their father), and didn't become pharaoh until he was in his 60s. I decided that was way too old for my story, so I aged Seti and Amenmesse to be in their mid- 30s. Takhat is 13 years old when she is married to Seti (as was common). She is 18 when married to Amenmesse, and 28 when he dies (likewise Seti and his brother are nearly 50).

Amenmesse's reign only lasted for four years or so in the history books, but for this story, I extended it to allow for Siptah's advanced age. Regarding the paternity of Siptah, since history seems to be confused as to whether Seti II or Amenmesse are his father, I decided to use that to my advantage. I made Siptah the son of Seti II, but allowed Amenmesse to believe that he was his own heir.

The open tomb, which Takhat used to gain entry to Amenmesse's tomb, was KV-11 (Ramesses III). In real life, when it was being created, builders accidentally breached a ceiling to KV-10. For my story, I had the builders make a hidden wall at this breach point. As far as I know, it doesn't exist.

.

.org/wiki/Tausret

.org/wiki/Siptah

.org/wiki/Ramesses_II

.

For the legend that came from the ancient scroll of Alexandria, I referred to the "Tale of Two Brothers," a story possibly inspired by the struggle of Seti II and Amenmesse. My legend is loosely based on this tale.

.org/wiki/Tale_of_Two_Brothers

.

The temple complex at Karnak was partially built by Ramesses II, with additions coming in other times by (a few previous as well as) succeeding kings and also Alexander the Great. The causeway lined with sphinxes was actually built much later than the date my story is set, but bwah, I liked the idea of it.

The temple of Menthu (Montu- God of War) located at Karnak, in my story holds a treasure within its walls- The Crystal of Fire. Takhat sees a "God" placing it in the wall dedicated to Ma'at (truth and justice), and then removes it to place in her tomb. In real life, the temple of Menthu has a legend attached to it about a buried treasure within.

The "God" that Takhat sees is similar to J'onn J'onzz- Martian Manhunter. This is who I patterned him after, but in the story his actual identity is not specific or really important.

The glyph on the wall that Lex has torn down, is the same as the glyph on the stone he finds. Also, the statue that holds the crystal in my story is Ma'at, while in episode Crusade, it appears to be Horus. Don't hate.

The Goddess Mut is a mother Goddess, which later became associated with the Goddess Isis, naturally associated with Lana (season 7's ISIS foundation). The God Set, who I chose as the patron deity of Amenmesse, was originally known as the God of chaos. Seti I and Seti II were named in honor of the God Set. He was also the patron deity of Ramesses II.

.org/wiki/Mut

.org/wiki/Precinct_of_Mut

.org/wiki/Karnak

.

.com/temple_of_

.org/wiki/Set_(mythology)

**Places and Names:**

Hwt-ka-Ptah- "House of the spirit of Ptah" Located in Ineb-Hedj.

Ineb-Hedj (Memphis)- former seat of power in ancient Egypt located south of modern day Cairo.

Abu- ancient name for Aswan, site of a major rock quarry.

Waset- ancient name for modern day Luxor. Thebes was the Greek name for this city.

Mut- Mother Goddess, eventually assimilated with the Goddess Isis.

Amun- Father God, eventually assimilated with the God Ra, and later to a lesser extent, Osiris.

Set- God of chaos and storms. Brother and murderer of Osiris

Khonsu- God of the Moon and son of Mut and Amun.

Menthu- God of War and original son of Mut and Amun. Name changed to Khonsu in later times, and his attributes became less aggressive.

Sobek- the deification of crocodiles

Karnak (Iput-Isut)- village dedicated to a religious complex of temples.

Valley of the Kings- Necropolis (burial site) of the kings and nobles of Egypt from roughly 16th to 11th century BC.

Medjay- Guardians of the Valley of the Kings.

Alexandria- Ancient port city founded by Alexander the Great, said to have contained one of the largest libraries in the world. It was destroyed sometime possibly during the reign of Cleopatra.

Chancellor Bay- served on the council of Seti II, Siptah and possibly Ramesses II. May have tried to have Siptah assassinated, and was executed for it. He has a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

Ma'at- Egyptian concept of truth and justice, often personified as a winged goddess.

Anubis (Inpu)- God of the underworld. Son of Osiris and Nephthys.

Horus (Heru)- God of the sky. Son of Osiris and Isis. He was the symbol of majesty and power.

Eye of Horus (Wadjat)- ancient Egyptian symbol of protection.

Nubia- situated in modern day Sudan. In ancient times, it was an independent kingdom.

I wanted to get a better feel for the ancient Egyptian world, and watched a few documentaries on youtube.

**Secrets of Ancient Egypt:** This was a wonderful series. Not professional (or at least, not professionally produced for tv or anything), and it shows views into the pyramids at Giza, The Valley of the Kings, Temple of Luxor and Karnak.

.com/watch?v=yyFtHnJw-xY&NR=1

.com/watch?v=hWFpA_CjZGU

**Ancient Egyptian Religion and Myths:** Osiris is murdered by his jealous brother Set, and then rescued by his sister and wife Isis who brought him back to life with magic powers. She then conceived Horus, the rightful heir to his father's throne. The symbol of the Eye of Horus represents the eye that he lost when battling with Set to avenge his father.

.com/watch?v=KUC2F0hf5Mc

Sightseeing- A few videos based on Ancient Egyptian sites noted in my story.

Karnak: .com/watch?v=F9wr-hg58u8

Luxor and Valley of the Kings (BBC): .com/watch?v=1OE-ptrx9rA

That's it. Hope you enjoyed the story!

~ Britt

June 11, 2008

p.s. my apologies for how the above links aren't working out on this site. :/


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